Fishing tool



March 6, 1928.

FIE-1.1.

WIT/V5355" F. J. SPANG "FISHING- T061.

Filed Sept. 1924 FIELZ.

2 Sheets-Shea 1 March 6, 1928. 1,661,638

4 F. J. SPANG FISHING TOOL Filed Sept. 6, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS.

$25 may;

Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

PATENT OFFICE.

FERDINAND T. SPANG, F BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

FISHING TOOL.

Application filed September 6, 1924. Serial No. 736,278.

This invention relates to fishing tools such as are usedfor retrievinglost tools or articles fromdeep wells and more particularly to that typeof fishing tools known as slip sockets or combination sockets.

Heretofore, when a lost tool was gripped or held by means of a slipsocket or combination socket and the lost tool could not be loosened inorder to raiseit, there was no way torelease the grip of the socket jawsunless the slips or the socket could be destroyed inorder to release thejaws from the tool. Obviously, where the socket and slips were made ofrugged material such as could not be wrecked while in the well, the fishing tool could not be loosened and it, togather with the equipmentattached to it, was lost. Certain devices have been designed fortripping or releasing the jaws of a fishing tool from the articlegripped, when the latter has proved immovable, in order that the fishingtool itself may not be lost, but these devices are wholly impracticalfor the reason that they provide no means for supporting. the fishingtool or socket upon the lost article in order to attach the fishingcable to the surface equipment without tripping the jaws. In otherwords, with the present form oi'tool, the jaws are tripped by allowingthe fishing tool to rest upon the lost article and it is, therefore,impossible to attach the fishing cable to the surface equipment whilethe fishing toolis resting on the lost article, and at the same timeobtain a gripping engagement with the lost article. An object of thisinvention is to provide a fishingitool of the type set forth in whichthe gripping jaws can be tripped or released from the lost article andwhich has means for supportingitself and the attached equipment on thearticle without actuating the tripping mechanism.

A further object is to provide a tool of this type which isxprovidedwith an improved means for tripping or releasing the lost article if itproves immovable.

A still further object is to provide a tool of the type set forth whichwill be simple and cheap to manufacture and assemble, positive andreliable in operation and rugged in construction.

These and other objects which will be apparent to those skilled in thisparticular art are attained by means of this inventlon, two

embodiments of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which--1 Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through one form of a fishing toolembodying this lnvention, showing the same lowered over, but not restingon the lost article;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal section of the toolresting on the lost article; 7

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the jaws tripped and raised from theirseats;

t 131g. 4.- is a side elevation of a part of the o0 Fig. 5 is atransverse section on the line 5-5 of F ig.3;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 77 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a similar view on the line 8--8 of Fig. 3.

The illustrated embodiments of this in vention include a body memberwhich is of hollow cylindrical form for a substantial part of itslength, and which has the usual conical bore'adjacent one end forco-operating with the slips or jaws to contract the latter into grippingengagement with the lost article. The slips are secured to a slidablemember or plug which is associated with the body member and which isadapted to rest upon the lost article and support the body memberthereon by means of coil springs interposed between the slidable memberand a shoulder'of the body member. Relative upward movement of the bodymember causes the jaws to contract in the well-known manner so as togrip and lift the lost article. The. tripping mechanism includes springpressed catches in the body member which are adapted to engage withnotches formed in the slidable plug upon the downward jarring of thebody member against the pressure of the coil springs. After tripping allrelative movement between the body member and the slidable member isprevented and the jaws are accordingly unable to grip the lost article.

As illustrated in Figs. 1, to 8, the body member 11 is in the form of acylinder 12 having a solid head 13 provided with the usual wrenchsurfaces and screw threads for attaching to other equipment.Thecylindrical portion 12 is provided with slotsle lit in which the slipreins 16 are movable. Each slip rein, herein shown as three in number,has a slip or jaw 17" formed on the lower end thereof and adapted toco-operate with a conical bore 18 "formed at the lower end of thecylindrical portion 12 of the tool for contracting the jaws 17 to gripand hold an article upon relative upward movement of the body member andits conical bore. The upper end of each slip rein is secured to a slipsupport 19 shown as being in the form of a plug having a neck 20 whichis slidably received within the reduced bore or socket 2i formed in theupper end of the body member 11. A tightening spring 22 is interposedbetween the end of the socket 21 and a seat 21-) formed therefor in theup per end of the neclr 20. A. supporting spring 2% also providedbetween a spring supporting shoulder 24;, formed 011 the plug 19, andthe upper end ot' thecyliinlrical bore 12.

Diametrically opposite recesses 25 are provided in the hotly member 11on opposite sides of the socket 21 adjacent the neck 20. Securelymounted in each recess is a trip holder 26 in which are mounted thetrips or catches 2? which are provided with areuate faces 28 forengaging notches 29 termed in the neck 20. Each trip or catch has arearwardly extending internally threaded proj'ection 30 which isslidably received in a bore 31 formed in the trip holder 26,sce Fig. 5.The trip holder is also provided with a bore 252 on each side oi? thehere 31. for receiving coil springs which at their outer ends contactwith the trip or catch 27 so as to force the same inwardly agz'iinst theneck 20 of the sliidable plug 19.

An annular shoulder 35 is formed adjacent the top of the neck 20 forengaging the trips 27 to prevent the plug it) being forced dowmvardlyout of the socket 21.

In operation, it is apparent that the springs 22 and 2 together with thedead weight of the slip-suj'iport or plug 19, the slip reins 1t; andslips or jaws 17, would force the latterdownwardly into the conebottomof the plug 19, see 1.

shaped bore 18 so that they are eontacted diametrically. When the socketis lowered into the well, the lost article 50 strikes the contractedslips forcing them upwardly as the body 11 with the conical borecontinues to move down around the article. As the slips or jaws moveinwardly, they are ex pended in the conical bore until the articlepasses between them and contacts with the The dead weight of the socketand the equipment attached to it will still further force the socketbody 11 downwardly over the lost object 50 until the spring a lcontracts suificiently to carry the load, see Fig. 2. At that point thetripping recesses 29 will have traveled toward but not to the trip orcatch 27. This provision of means for supporting the socket upon thelost article without tripping permits the fishing cable to be attachedto the surface equipment at the proper time. "When this is done, thesocket can be raised and the tightening spring 22, which has a longerrange of action than the shorter, heavier supporting spring 24,supplemented by the dead weight 01' the slips or jaws force the latterinto the cone-shaped bore. The jaws are thus contracted so as to gripand hold the lost article 50. r

If it proves to be impossible to raise (or remove the lost article, thesocket can be tripped so as to release it therefrom by downward jarring.This consists in lifting the auger stem, a part of the eqnipmentat-'tached to the screw threads atth'e top of the socket, for the length ofthe stroke of the jars which are attached between the auger stem and thesocket, and then dropping it with some violence The momentum of thisweight compresses the load spring 24 allowing the slip support or plug19 to travel into the socket 21 until the trip 27 engages the recesses29 and locks the plug 19 against movement, see Fig. 3. In this position,the slips are held away from the conicail bone and the socket is free tohe raised from the lost article.

if it has been necessary to trip the jaws, they may be released, uponremoval from the well, by threading a proper implement into the threadedprojection 3.0 of each trip 27 and retracting them against the pressureof the coil springs 33. This frees the notches 29 oil the trips andpermits the plug 191and jaws 17 to snap back into operative position.

It will be obvious to those skilled in particular art that the trip andtripping 11ecesses may be of any :desired form.

While I have described specific forms of this invention, 1 do not wishto :be limited to the particular details hereof but what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. a fishing @001 having inemnbinationa socket member, a .reoiprocable .vmemiber mounted thereinand provided with grip; ping jaws extending longitudinally i0'fisallldsocket, means on said socket for contracting said jaws upon relativedownward movement of said reciprocable member sons to cause them to gripan external object, means for locking said reciproca'ble .aneln'heragainst movement so as to prevent the operation of said jaws, arelatively short spring assceiated with said reciproeahle member so asto support said socket thereon and normally prevent operation of saidlocking means and a relatively long spring tor moving said jawsdownwardly to gripping position when said socket member is raised. a

2. A fishing tool having :inieombinatilon a socket member, areciprocahle plug mounted therein and provided with gripping jawsextending longitudinally of said member, a plug and for looking the sameagainst moveoonical bore on said member adapted to conment in its upperposition so as to prevent tract said jaws upon relative downward theoperation of said jaws. movement thereof so as to cause them to Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto 5 grip an external object, means foryieldingly subscribed my name this fourth day of Seppressing said plugdownwardly soas to contember, 1924. tract said jaws spring actuatedmeans for limiting the downward movemment of said FERDINAND J. SPANG.

